NFL Week 8 Injury Report – Early Games:

Minnesota Vikings vs. Cleveland Browns

Vikings

Stefon Diggs (Q) is trending towards playing on Sunday morning after getting in full practices on Thursday and Friday. He’s missed the past two weeks while dealing with a groin strain but could return on Sunday morning. With the early morning kickoff (9:30 am EST), owners will want to be up early to ensure Diggs gives it a go. Worth noting, the Vikings are on bye in Week 9, so if the medical team was concerned at all about a re-injury, they would have likely held him out until after the bye.

Sam Bradford (O) will miss another game while dealing with the effects of a bone bruise in his left knee. The Vikings’ QB situation remains up in the air, with Teddy Bridgewater making a push to play at some point in 2017 for the first time since he dislocated his knee a couple of years ago. For now, Case Keenum remains under center.

Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Jets

Falcons

Tevin Coleman was limited early in the week with a knee injury but got in a full practice on Friday, indicating he’s ready to go against the Jets. Coleman was removed from the Falcons’ final injury report on Friday.

Carolina Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jonathan Stewart was removed from the team’s final injury report on Friday after returning to a full practice with a toe injury.

Ed Dickson (Q) is on the injury report this week with an ankle injury, but he appears to be on track to play after getting in a full practice on Friday.

Graham Gano (Q) is dealing with a knee injury and is truly questionable to play on Sunday after being downgraded to ‘DNP’ on Friday. The Panthers added Roberto Aguayo to their practice squad, so they’re obviously making backup plans. Kickers don’t normally make this column, but Gano is probably a regular starter in your league. If he is, look elsewhere this week.

Buccaneers

Jameis Winston is again listed on the injury report due to the AC joint sprain he suffered in Week 6. He played in Week 7 against the Bills without limitations or aggravation of the injury. The Bucs were just limiting Winston’s reps earlier this week. He’s good to go against the Panthers on Sunday.

Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints

Michael Thomas was removed from the team’s final injury report, so he’ll be out there on Sunday against the Bears. He missed Wednesday’s practice while dealing with some soreness in his knee, but the Saints have been adamant that his injury is not serious.

Willie Snead was removed from the team’s injury report for the first time this season after dealing with a hamstring injury for the past month or so. He will make his return on Sunday, but given that he hasn’t been a consistent part of the offense yet this year, he’ll be hard to trust this week.

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots

Chargers

Melvin Gordon (Q) has been dealing with a foot injury but should give it a go against the Patriots after being upgraded to a full practice on Friday. The Chargers haven’t released any details regarding the injury to Gordon’s foot, so it’s difficult to comment on the limitations he may have on Sunday. However, if he’s active, he’s a must play in a great matchup against New England.

Patriots

Danny Amendola (Q) missed practice on Wednesday but got in limited sessions on Thursday and Friday. He hyperextended his knee in Week 7 against Atlanta but avoided any structural damage. All signs point to Amendola being active on Sunday, but owners will want to confirm come Sunday morning.

Oakland Raiders vs. Buffalo Bills

Indianapolis Colts vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Colts

Andrew Luck (O) will miss yet another week while recovering from his off-season shoulder surgery. At this point, Luck should be dropped in all redraft leagues that don’t have an IR spot. He could miss the entire season.

NFL Week 8 Injury Report – Late Games:

Houston Texans vs. Seattle Seahawks

C.J. Prosise (D) is unlikely to play in Week 8 with a nagging ankle injury, which he’s re-injured twice now this season. The former Notre Dame star can’t seem to stay on the field. Seattle will again rely on a rotation of Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls, and J.D. McKissic.

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

Cowboys

Dan Bailey (O) is expected to miss up to 4 weeks with a groin injury. Mike Nugent will kick for Dallas until Bailey returns.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions

Steelers

JuJu Smith-Schuster was unexpectedly placed in the league’s concussion protocol this week despite not getting injured in Week 7. It’s possible he took a hit to the head late in the game but that the symptoms didn’t present themselves until a few days later, which is not unheard of. Regardless, Smith-Schuster appears to be fine for Sunday Night Football, after he got in full practices all week.

Lions

Golden Tate (Q) could make an earlier than expected return to the field with an AC joint sprain that was expected to keep him out for up to 4 weeks. He got in limited practices each day this week, so he’ll likely be out there at less than 100%. My concern with starting Tate this week is that AC joint sprains can cause wide receivers a lot of pain and discomfort when attempting to reach overhead to catch a pass, and it could easily be aggravated if he falls on the top of his shoulder during a tackle. If I have another option, I’m avoiding Tate for at least another week.

Kenny Golladay (O) looked as if he was going to be able to return from a hamstring injury that’s kept him out for about a month, as he got in a limited session on Wednesday. However, he suffered a setback in his recovery and missed practice the rest of the week. This is a prime example of how troublesome hamstring injuries can be as they are one of the most commonly recurring injuries in the NFL.

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Broncos

Emmanuel Sanders missed Week 7 with a sprained ankle but could suit up on Monday night against the Chiefs. He didn’t practice on either Thursday or Friday, so he will need to get in a limited session Saturday in order to have a chance to play. If he goes, he’ll be at less than 100%, making him a tough player to trust. With this game being Monday night, owners would be wise to look for a better option elsewhere. If you’re relying on Sanders, Bennie Fowler remains a nice streaming option.

Chiefs

Charcandrick West is on track to make his return after being out with a concussion last week. He will slide back into his change of pace role behind rookie sensation, Kareem Hunt.

I'm a sports and orthopedic physical therapist currently working in Burlington, VT. I've been a sports fan my entire life and when I became a PT, I decided to combine my two passions into one awesome hobby. My goal is to provide injury analysis and information so that you can win your next dynasty title. Follow me on twitter: @TheFantasyPT